powder blue tang

[cocoa_pleco]

On boxing day, the 26th, big als is selling a monster amount of fish and corals for up to 75% off, meaning i could score one of the final 2 fish i want in my 125g, a powder blue tang, for extremely cheap. the only other fish i want is a mandarin, but not for a while.

my 125g has been running since late August i think it was, 160lbs live rock, 15g sump with 10lbs live rock, 150lbs aragonite, 1 tank raised clown, 1 bicolor foxface, 1 yellow watchman goby, 1 lunar wrasse, 1 yellowtail damsel, 2 black damsels, and a cinnamon clown.

all parameters are stable, and all is well. think im good for a powder blue tang? i clip a sheet of nori up every few days too for the foxface

[jimpierce]

good luck!!!

[cocoa_pleco]

thanks! im sure it will be a mob there though, there will be a huge crowd. my plan is to just grab the powder blue and a few corals and run out, but knowing me i'll walk out with $2000 of stuff

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

I'd be concerned with the Wrasse and the damsels creating a high level of stress in that tank. Powder Blue Tangs are more susceptible to Ich than than any other member of the Acanthurid family.

[cocoa_pleco]

the lunar wrasse harms no one and ive never seen aggressive behavior out of him (except his natural behavior to shelled inverts), and the yellowtail damsel is harmless. the black damsels are juvies though so i might see some bad behavior later on. I might get rid of them, they were sold to me as a chromis variety.

any recommendations for a tang that gets medium-large? big als has tons of species of tangs so if i could get a list of 2-3 that would be great. kinda dont want a yellow tang, but if worse come to worse i can get one

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Atlantic Blue Tangs are really nice and would do fine. Avoid the Clown Tangs, they are a serious pain in the rear and would get too large anyway. Mimic Tangs are always nice and would likely do well. Chevron Tangs are great fish to have around, they are actually a member of the Ctenochaetus genus, that is the genus of Bristletooth Tangs, they actually do well at eating some of the skim algae, they even eat Cyano Bacteria as well. They are also one of the larger members of that genus available topping out at about 11". Out of the Zebrasoma Genus I'd say you could go for a Sailfin or a Purple. Just be aware that you would likely have to rehome a Sailfin as it will outgrow your 125. I have one and I know that some day I will likely have to find a new home for him.

[unleashed]

Also, purple tangs are the most aggressive of the Zebrasoma genus IMO

[cocoa_pleco]

did a bit of research, im liking the mimic tang. it has the look of blue hippos and powder blues i like. looks like theyre peaceful too and reef safe

the atlantic blue is cool too. if they dont have a mimic, i'll see if i can get a atlantic blue. if i cant get that, i'll try to get a sailfin, which ive seen every time i go there. im thinking on getting a custom extra wide 300g reef in a couple of years, but if thats a no go my doctor has a 400gish reef that has room and hes got my niger trigger and volitan lionfish. if he runs out of room or something happens, i know a few people who could take it if i dont end up with a 300g

i'll write them all on my hand before i go on the 26th so i remember. they open at 9am so im hoping to be there by 830am, people will probably be there at 6am but im not getting up that early. The other store i usually go to where i got my 90g for $90 last boxing day has some sales, and i know the owner and all workers really well so maybe if big als doesnt have any good tangs i could get them to stash a nice one for me which im sure they will

wouldnt mind getting a nice anemone for super cheap, but theres no sense if it will wither away in my young tank, and i would be able to get the mandarin for $10 or less, but until i get more in my sump and a fuge installed, i would just rather pay $20-$25 for one that wont slowly starve from low pod population

thanks for the help!

[jimpierce]

too bad you are so far away. I will be needing a new home for my hippo tang before too long.